


I have always loved you

by obrowsynogitsune1



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Badass, F/M, Fix-It, Gendrya - Freeform, Marriage Proposal, nervous gendry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 07:42:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21424639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obrowsynogitsune1/pseuds/obrowsynogitsune1
Summary: Fix-it fic after the failed Gendrya marriage proposal.After being turned down by Arya, Gendry resolved to put it to rights, to do it properly and ask Arya, with her family's blessing, the way he should have done the first time.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 4
Kudos: 88





	I have always loved you

It hurt more than he could say when Arya said no. He knew she wasn't a lady or that she had never wanted to grow up to be one but, in his stupid, giddy, drunken haze had forgotten all that in favour of asking her to be with him forever.

As she turned her back to him however, readying her bow once more to shoot he made his mind up. He wouldn't let go of Arya Stark that easily, not again. He would forsake his new titles, anything, just so they wouldn't be parted once more. He wouldn't make the mistake of leaving twice.

Gendry's first step was to talk to her siblings. As her remaining family, he knew he had to get their approval before he asked again, showing his intentions were true. Then he would ask again, sober and with more thought to what he was saying and how she felt on the matter.

* * *

"Your Grace, Lord Baratheon to see you." Ser Davos introduced at the door. Jon turned away from where he was talking to Daenarys about the taking of King's Landing to see Gendry standing there, looking more nervous than he had ever seen him.

"Your graces." Gendry acknowledged as he entered, bowing slightly and stepping into the middle of the room.

"It's Jon Gendry, you know that." Jon reminded, growing somewhat concerned when his friend didn't return his smile.

"What did you want to talk about my Lord?" Daenarys asked, interested in the man's nervous demeanour.

"Well, I... that's to mean I..."

"Gendry I'm sure whatever it is can't be that bad," Jon said, laughing slightly.

'That's because you don't know it's about Arya yet.' Gendry wanted to say, making his mind up to just get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Your grace I wish to have your blessing to ask for Lady Arya Stark's hand in marriage." He blurted out, looking Jon directly in the eye so he knew that he was being serious.

He noted that Daenarys looked shocked at his sudden request, clearly this being the last thing he had come here to talk about.

"Gendry you've only just met Arya, you can't possibly want to marry her." Jon denied, incredulity clear in his expression.

"Jon, I apologise for not being entirely truthful previously but I met Arya the day of Lord Eddard's execution in King's Landing. We were both part of a group of recruits for the Night's Watch and Arya was to be dropped off at Winterfell along the way. I admittedly didn't know she was a girl at first, with short hair and boys clothes on going under the alias of Arry, but I was the only one aside from Yoren to find out who she truly was when I confronted her about being a girl and she told me her real name.

We were attacked before we made it North and were taken by the Gold Cloaks to Harrenhall. I was to be tortured for information on the Brotherhood without Banners but Tywin Lannister arrived and sent me to work in their forge and made Arya his cupbearer. I still do not know whether he ever found out who she really was, only that she was a girl, and Arya eventually helped me and our friend Hot Pie escape as we tried once again to travel North to either Winterfell or the Wall to see you.

On our way, we were captured by the very group the Gold Cloaks wanted information on and I made the decision to stay on with them. Arya had wanted me to come with her and work in the forge at Winterfell and to meet Robb and her mother but I knew she wouldn't be allowed to be friends with a lowborn blacksmith so I decided to stay. The brotherhood then sold me to the Red Witch in exchange for gold as I would 'make kings rise and fall' and was taken away from her.

I never knew what happened to Arya after that, believing her to be killed during the Red Wedding until I saw her once again here. I know I am older than her, and that you likely don't approve of me with your little sister and honestly I don't blame you. She's always been better than me and deserved more than me but I love her with all my heart and I know that she feels the same."

Gendry had purposely left out what had happened since their reunion and his failed proposal, knowing Jon would never agree if he knew and also didn't gt into too much detail about their travels together, that was a story for Arya to tell her brother herself.

Jon, he noted, still looked slightly shell-shocked, but the Queen was smiling at him warmly.

"Gendry, you're an honourable man and I have to thank you for taking care of Arya when I couldn't. I'm glad to know she wasn't alone the entire time she was gone and that you care deeply for her. I can't speak for my sister, she's willful and if she wants something she gets it, no matter who tries to stop her.

All I'm going to do is warn you Gendry. If you hurt her, just know you'll have the whole North to answer to, if she doesn't get to you first." Jon stated, looking more serious than he had ever seen him.

"Thank you Jon, and trust me, I know the dangers that come from being with her." Gendry thanked, smiling now he knew he wasn't going to be murdered by the King in the North.

"Seriously though Gendry, you're my friend but she's my sister. I care about her more than I can say but I know that you wouldn't hurt her, not on purpose anyway and I trust you more than most of the men out there so good luck."

* * *

Luck was on Gendry's side when he found both Sansa and Bran together in the Godswood. He had come in the hopes that he would find one of them here but had instead saved himself a third conversation by catching them together.

"Gendry." Bran greeted before he was fully in sight.

"Lord Baratheon," Sansa said, watching him with curious eyes as he approached them, no doubt wondering what he was there for.

"Lady Sansa, Lor-"

"Bran's fine." Bran cut across, smiling slightly, obviously already aware of what he was there for, "You're here to talk about Arya."

Gendry nodded in reply, wringing his hands in preparation.

"I wanted to ask for your blessings to ask your sister's hand in marriage." He stated, finding it harder to ask them than Jon since he had hardly spoken two words to the Lord and Lady of Winterfell since his arrival, while Jon was his friend.

Neither of them, however, looked very shocked at the question.

"And why should we give you our blessings my Lord?" Sansa questioned him, face blank of all emotion.

"The biggest mistake I ever made was to leave her. We spent years with only each other and our friend Hot Pie to rely on to survive and when Hot Pie left it was just the two of us and I threw it away, both her friendship and her trust, because I believed that once we reached your mother and brother Robb I wouldn't be able to see her anymore and I couldn't live my life watching the person I cared for more than anyone living without me beside her.

After I heard about what happened at the Twins I spent years hating the fact I left, believing her to be dead and not knowing what had happened. I was blessed to see her again once we reached Winterfell and I don't want to make the same mistake again, to let her go when I can do something about it. I know she doesn't want to be a lady but to be free to do as she pleases, be it swordplay or riding, not dancing or sewing. I love her for that, for how, through everything that has happened to us, she never lost her fire, never lost sight of who she was or what she stood for."

Gendry could see both Sansa and Bran smiling as he spoke but was startled when another voice answered him, one that was achingly familiar.

"Did you really mean all of that?" Arya asked from behind him. She had been walking to the Godswood to think over what had happened the previous night when Gendry had proposed but had stopped when she had seen the man in question talking with her brother and sister.

"How much did you hear?" Gendry quizzed, turning to face her.

"All of it." Arya replied, stepping forward until they were right in front of each other, "You didn't answer my question though."

"Every word m'lady."

"Don't call me that."

"As m'lady commands."

Arya didn't push him over this time, instead smiling softly as she blushed, both of them forgetting they weren't alone.

"I'm going to do this properly this time. I am currently completely sober and have actually thought this out." Gendry started, getting down on one knee much like he had the night before. "Arya Stark, I have known you for years. We have protected each other through good and bad, trusted in each other with everything and I couldn't think of a person that I care for more than you.

I love you for you, for the fact that you wear boys clothes even though it isn't proper, for the fact that you fight and don't need any protection. 

My biggest regret was leaving you and while I still live and breathe I vow to never leave your side again, not when you don't want me to. You will never have to be a proper lady, wearing nice gowns or doing anything else you hate. You can be your own woman, doing as you wish by my side. So Arya, will you make me the happiest man in Westeros by becoming my wife?"

Arya, at this point, had tears running down her face, a sight that made Gendry's heart clench.

"Yes! I shouldn't have said no yesterday, not when I know you would never force me to be something I'm not. I love you more than anything and would love to live with you by my side." Arya replied before they both stepped forward, catching each others' lips in their own.

It wasn't until they broke apart that they remembered Bran and Sansa behind them. Turning around they could see Sansa with tears in her eyes, holding onto Bran's hand as he watched on with a smile.

"Well, I'll be the first to say congratulations!" Her sister exclaimed, stepping forward to pull into Arya into a hug. "I'm glad you're happy." She whispered into her ear as they embraced, causing Arya's eyes to start to water again.

"Father would have loved Gendry, he's just the man he saw you with Arya. Someone who accepted you for you and loved you all the more for it." Bran stated as Arya turned to hug him too, openly crying now. She was crying more than she had in years, this the moment all her built-up grief and heartbreak seemed to come pouring out.

"Thank you, Bran." She said sincerely, turning back to Gendry, grabbing his hand with her smaller one and following her siblings back to the castle.

It seemed like the gods were smiling down on her after all. It may not last, with the battle for the throne on the horizon, but, for now, she was happy. Arya and her family were safe in Winterfell and she had Gendry by her side once more.

She shed one last tear, remembering the family she'd lost to get here. Winterfell wasn't the same but maybe it didn't have to be. It was time for the pack to be together again, to rebuild their home and their family.

"I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
